The right grip pressure

Grip PressureIt is my opinion that inconsistent, or too much, grip pressure is the early cause of a great number of bad golf shots. The golf swing requires a secure but light grip on the club in order for the hands to operate as they should. Today’s question was posed by Phil H. of Florida:

"I have read so many tips and thoughts on how to judge the proper pressure of the grip. But how do I process this and incorporate the right and consistent grip pressure in my own game."

Well, Phil, as I said, this is probably one of the most far-reaching and under-diagnosed errors made in golf. No one has ever devised a true grip pressure monitor, but I would think it could be a boon for teaching. Imagine if we could get past the clichés about grip pressure, and actually quantify it . . . hmm, gives me a few ideas to pursue. But back to the subject at hand (pun fully intended.)

As for those clichés, there are a bunch of them, maybe the most common being “hold it like it was a little bird in your hand”. Really? How many of us have actually held a little bird in our hand? Pretty hard to relate. One of my favorites is to hold the golf club with the same pressure you would hold your small child’s hand if you were walking along with them, firm enough to keep them from getting away, but light enough to not hurt them. That’s something more of us can relate to, but how to I translate that into holding a golf club during a swing?

I was working with a young player a while back, whom I could see was just putting a death grip on the golf club. He was a strong kid, and I tried every way possible to get him to understand that you simply cannot hold a golf club too lightly. Finally, I told him to get a tube of toothpaste, take the top off and make golf swings in his living room. Not just short chips and pitches, but full-bore driver swings. And then I explained that when he no longer had to clean the walls, ceilings and floor, he would understand proper grip pressure!

But let’s get into the details of grip pressure. It goes beyond just “gripping it lightly”, as what’s really important is which fingers are exerting the pressure. Here’s an illustration of this. Clench your last three fingers of your left hand like you were holding a club, leaving the thumb and forefinger in the air. Reasonably tight is OK. Then move your wrist around – see how it remains pretty flexible, even with the tight squeeze? But the tighter you squeeze those last three fingers, you’ll see how your motion becomes more difficult. Then close your thumb and forefinger tightly into the grip and notice how your entire forearm tenses up and your motion is restricted much more . . . at any pressure. Aha, Lesson #1 – control the club with the last three fingers of your left/upper hand.

Now, do the same experiment with the fingers of your right hand. Begin by clenching your two middle fingers, where the fingertips just touch the pads at the base of the fingers – this is how you hold a golf club. Again, notice the range of motion you have in your wrist with a lighter grip with just these two fingers. Then, again, clench your thumb and forefinger together into the grip and see how the entire forearm is tensed and the range of motion restricted once again.

This winter, keep a golf club around the desk and/or sofa, and practice gripping the club with the last three fingers of the left/upper hand, and just those two middle fingers of the right/lower hand. If you spend time getting comfortable controlling the club with the lightest grip possible, it will pay off huge dividends on the course.

asahiCourse Marshal

Posts : 10361Join date : 2009-12-19Age : 40

Subject: Re: The right grip pressure Thu Dec 09, 2010 9:14 am

Thanks for sharing dude.

Long time no hear ..... Welcome back!

mloyCaddy

Posts : 4560Join date : 2009-09-11Age : 88Location : East

Subject: Re: The right grip pressure Thu Dec 09, 2010 9:34 am

Good writeup. I tend to grip my clubs like, really tight. Will try it at the range. Thanks.

_________________Laughter is the best medicine

TechnospazAdvisor

Posts : 15654Join date : 2009-06-18Age : 42Location : Typically OOB

Subject: Re: The right grip pressure Thu Dec 09, 2010 9:43 am

To me, it's a psychological thing. I can't mentally overcome the fact that I'm not gripping my clubs like a baseball bat. I try to but when I do, somehow, I end up undergripping it

But good write-up JT (and good to see you back here again)

_________________Clearing my Storeroom of golfing goodies. Please help support

"A ball will always come to rest halfway down a hill, unless there is sand or water at the bottom." Henry Beard

aimscratchNewbie Golfer

Posts : 24Join date : 2010-08-25

Subject: Re: The right grip pressure Thu Dec 09, 2010 10:37 am

Good post man, I never really understood why people always say my forearm is tensed up during my swing, and now I know why. This is probably going to help my swing. Will try it out later.

TTMNewbie Golfer

Posts : 5Join date : 2010-06-15

Subject: Re: The right grip pressure Thu Dec 09, 2010 12:06 pm

Thanks for sharing this good tip. I tend to equate tight grip with powerful strike...

tronosSuper Active Golfer

Posts : 1121Join date : 2009-06-21

Subject: Re: The right grip pressure Thu Dec 09, 2010 2:08 pm

The old metal tube or the new plastic tube. The white stuff or gel paste. The old school tooth paste quite 'gape' and the metal tube very solid one.

I am back in Abu Dhabi now but played a nice course in Kuwait 2 days ago! Was thinking of posting an FR but then again I doubt anyone would realli be interested to read a course that far away...

BreadmanNewbie Golfer

Posts : 3Join date : 2011-04-07Location : In the office

Subject: Re: The right grip pressure Mon Apr 11, 2011 12:08 pm

My instructor did give me this piece of advise on the grip pressure.

Assuming 1/10 is your lightest grip that u cant even hold a club properly. And 10/10 is the tightest you ever grip a club. Like you squeze and squeze. A proper way to grip will be 2/10.

My take is that a newbie might start with about 2/10 grip pressure. But as you golf along, you will find a proper and flexible grip suitable for yourself.

pizzaboiNewbie Golfer

Posts : 50Join date : 2011-04-12

Subject: Re: The right grip pressure Wed Apr 20, 2011 3:44 pm

I have this persistent problem that my left pinky will lock up curling after a night sleep from a night range session.

it will perseist for a few days.

Only the left pinky is affected, am i gripping too tight ?

DerekCaddy

Posts : 2158Join date : 2009-10-20

Subject: Re: The right grip pressure Wed Apr 20, 2011 5:32 pm

what I've observed, and also have had very good players point out to me, is that the danger of holding the club with too light a grip is that the club handle tends to get detached from the palm at the top of the backswing, we feel the club coming loose so we tighten the grip on the downswing to stop it from slipping out.

All this flapping about of the club head is not condusive to solid contact.

Like all things in golf, extremes are no good, gotta find the proper balance ... sigh ... so difficult.

_________________========================================What's in the Bag

What I learnt: Hold the club like you would hold a bird; tight enough for the bird to not to fly away and just gently enough not to kill the bird. This is the advise for the children and ladies.

now for the men.

Hold the club like it is your bird.... XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

julianseahNewbie Golfer

Posts : 30Join date : 2011-03-20

Subject: Re: The right grip pressure Wed Apr 20, 2011 8:59 pm

lol. my coach tells me to imagine I'm milking a cow...

Right_sided_coachGolf Professionals

Posts : 856Join date : 2009-06-24

Subject: Re: The right grip pressure Wed Apr 20, 2011 11:54 pm

Personally I think we should be concerned more with the positioning of our hands on the club rather than the pressure. I find most players that get too tight with their grip do so because they are holding it incorrectly.

duffaderHall of Fame Golfer

Posts : 5599Join date : 2010-01-28

Subject: Re: The right grip pressure Thu Apr 21, 2011 6:09 am

Hmmmm..... Hand position not hanging lose with the grip end pointing towards the left pocket?

You could have started another thread. DUn be lazy. BFG should have it but limited stock.

Better dun disturb such threads with a WTB post. THese Pros are helping us with the game, so they are spending their precious time to write certain things. If you meet them at the golf course and ask them such questions, the usual fees will apply.

tronosSuper Active Golfer

Posts : 1121Join date : 2009-06-21

Subject: Re: The right grip pressure Thu Apr 21, 2011 12:13 pm

when the grip position is correct, the grip pressure will be natural, like holding the bird for the first time, you will know what feels good and what will give the best result

TurboHall of Fame Golfer

Posts : 5876Join date : 2009-09-30Age : 91Location : Pin Hole

Subject: Re: The right grip pressure Thu Apr 21, 2011 2:18 pm

Hold as light as you are holding a steering wheel of the car ...

leeweyleonNewbie Golfer

Posts : 61Join date : 2010-10-28Location : East - Simei

Subject: Re: The right grip pressure Thu Apr 21, 2011 2:38 pm

i found this mentally helpful when i swing now.

Hold a tube of toothpaste (with cap removed) and grip it as if you are gripping a golf club.

If any toothpaste comes out, you are squeezing/gripping it too tightly.

If you grip it firmly without any toothpaste coming out, you are maintaining a good grip pressure. Apply this same pressure when gripping your golfclub.

Another person told me that hold the pressure like you will hold your bird.

divoteeNewbie Golfer

Posts : 57Join date : 2010-07-28Location : West Side

Subject: Re: The right grip pressure Mon Aug 01, 2011 6:37 pm

Amazing post. Tried it out at the range yesterday and am finding the sweetspot on my Driver consistently.

kevlyeSenior Golfer

Posts : 281Join date : 2011-07-31Location : Singapore

Subject: Re: The right grip pressure Mon Aug 01, 2011 10:41 pm

hold the club with just enough pressure so that the club does not fly out of your hands when you swing (hence the 2/10 pressure suggested in a earlier post; 10 being the tightest you can hold it).